Air mail catcher and refilling device



Aug. 11, 1931. H. ZIMMERMAN AIR MAIL CATCHER AND REFILLING DEVICE Filed May 8. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 HenryZimmerw/an -INVENTOR ATTORNEY Aug. 11, 1931. H. ZIMMERMAN 1 818, 3

AIR MAIL CATCHER AND REFILLING DEVICE Filed May 8. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 (leafy Zimmerman INVENTOR ATTORNEY Aug. 11, 1931. H. ZIMMERMAN AIR MAIL CATCHER AND REFILLING D EVICE Filed May 8, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 HemyZr'm mar/rm INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 11,' 1931 UNITED STATES.

HENRY ZIMMERMAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI AIR MAIL CATCHER AND REFILLING DEVICE Application filed May 8, 1929. Serial No 361,444.

This invention relates to a means whereby an aeroplane can pick up a mail bag or the like without theplane landing, the general object of the invention being to provide a telescopic tubular member on the plane, the parts of which are raised and lowered from the cockpit, with means on the ground for holding the mail bag or other object in such a manner that the bag or object can be picked up by the telescopic member as the plane flies over the bag supporting means.

Another object of the invention is to so form the telescopic member that a hose can be passed through the same to enable the plane carrying the telescopic means to supply fuel to another plane.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several. parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail,

reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a view showing an aeroplane. equipped with the telescopic member and the means for supporting a mail bag.

Figure 2 is a front view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the turntable and its associated parts.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the telescopic member.

Figure 6 is a similar view but taken at right angles to Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a viewshowing how the telescopic member-can be used for refueling a second plane.

Figure 8 is a detail view showing the parts at the rear end of the device.

Figure 9 is a section on line 99 of Figure 6.

In these drawings, A indicates a elescopic member, the upper part 1 of which is can be refueled by the first.

fastened to the side of a plane B. The telescopic member is preferably of rectangular shape in cross section so that the parts cannot rotate in each other anda cable 2 has its lower end attached to the upper end of the lower member 3, said cable passing through the other members and over a pulley 4. at the top of the member 1' and then the cable passes into the cockpit of the plane, where it is attached to a drum 5 which is provided with a handle 6 so that an occupant of the plane, by turning the drum, can wind the cable thereon to lift the movable parts of the telescopic member or by. unwinding the cable, the movable parts will be lowered. The lower member 3 of the telescopic member is formed with an enlargement 7 which carries a hook 8 at its front end for catching the rope attached to the mail bag or other object, and it is also provided with a bracket 9, parts of which form a journal for a vertically arranged shaft 10, to the lower end of which a caster wheel 11 is connected. A spring 12 tendsto hold the shaft in lowered position, this spring acting as a shock absorber when the wheel strikes an object. Movable parts of the telescopic members have pins .13 thereon engaging slots 14 in the adjacent member, these, pins and slots limiting the downward movement of the parts. A door 15 is provided in the plane for enabling an occupant to remove the mail bag or other object from the hook when the parts of the l telescopic members are raised. 5

A hose 16 may be passed through the telescopic member, with the upper end of the hose passing through the door and connected with a fuel tank or with means whereby fuel can be poured into the. hose so that when the plane carrying the telescopic member flies over another plane, the occupants of this other plane can place the hose in the fuel tank of said plane so that the second plane This arrangement is shown in Figure 7. v

At the place where the mail plane is to receive the mail bag or other article, I provide a base 17 on which is rotatably supported turntable 18, the table being fasfi' shorter than the other pair so that the platform is held in an inclined position, as

shown in Figure 1. A shaft 22 is journaled in the hangers 23 arranged at the rear end of the platform and a pair of arms 24 is fastened to said shaft. The free end of each arm carries an outwardly extending projection 25 and a finger 26 which is pivoted to the end of the arm, a spring 27 connecting each finger to the projection, the springs tending to hold the fingers adjacent the projections. A pin 28 is carried by each arm adjacent its pivoted end and a cable 29 is adapted to be passed around the fingers and the pins, this cable being endless and the loop formed thereby is of such dimensions that when it is in position on the fingers and pins, the fingers will be held in position at substantially right angles to the projections 25 so that when the arms are in raised position, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, the fingers will extend parallel with the platform. The cable is fastened to the mail bag or other article 30 by a flexible member 31 which may be a part of the cable, and a tray 32 is fastened to the bottom of the platform by a depending part 33, this tray being adapted to receive the mail bag when the tableis attached to the parts on the arms. A depending part 34 is attached to the central part of the shaft 22 and is en'gaged by the rear end of a rod 35 slidably arranged in the hangers 36 on the platform, the rod being held in its rearward position by a spring 37 thereon which bears against one of the hangers 36 and a collar 36 on the rod. The forward part of the rod is formed with a notch 38 which is adapted to be engaged by a latch bar 39 carried by a shaft 40 journaled in the hangers 41 on the platform. a A hinged door 42 covers an opening formed in the platform and said door has a depending part 43 which will engage the latch bar when the door is closed so as to move the latch bar to releasing position.

Thus it will be seen that after the cable to which the mail bag is attached is passed over the fingers and pins, the rod 35 is pushed rearwardly until .its notch 38 will be opposite will engage in its adjusted position. In this position, the bar engaging the depending part 34, will rock the shaft 22 to a position where the arms will extend upwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, so that that part of the cable passing over the fingers will be stretched across the rear end of the platform. An extension 44 is formed on the rear end of the platform and extends between the the latchbar so that the latch bar the notch and thus hold the bar arms when the same are in raised position. Of course, in this position of the parts with the arms raised and the rod 35 engaged by the latch 39, the door 42 must be in raised or open position. The aeroplane, approaching the device, would, of course, have the telescopic member in lowered position and the plane must descend to a point where the wheel will strike the door and thus close the same and as the door closes, the projection 43 will strike the latch, moving the same to releasing position and thereby enablingthe spring 37 move the rods 35 rearwardly and this rearward movement of the rods will raise the arms 24, due to the rear end of the rod striking the depending part 34. The distance between the door and the rear end of the platform must be such that the arms will be raised before the plane traverses the distance bet-ween the door and the rear end of the platform. Of course, the plane must be guided so that the rear end of the telescopic member will pass between the arms so that the lower part of said member will strike the cable and pull the same from the fingers and pins, the cable sliding down the lower part 3 until it is engaged by the hook 8. Thus the mail bag is caught by the telescopic member and then by raising said member, the pilot or other occupant of the plane can remove the bag from the hook through the door 15. By having the platform placed on a turntable, the platform. can be adjusted in accordance with the direction from which the mail planes come and by having the platform placed at an inclination, the pilot can readily cause the wheel on the lower end of the telescopic member to ride up the platform to strike the door and this arrangement of the platform also places the cable holding parts of the arms at a high point on the platform.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is z- 1. In combination with a plane, a telescopic member of tubular construction having'the upper part thereof attached to the side of the plane, means within the plane whereby an occupant can raise and lower the other parts of the telescopic member, and a forwardly extending hook on the lower end of the bottom part of the telescopic member whereby the telescopic member can be used to catch articles while the plane flies over a support for said articles.

2. In combination with a plane, a telescopic member of tubular construction having the upper part thereof attached to the side of the plane, means within the plane whereby an occupant can raise and lower the other parts of the telescopic member, a forwardly extending hook on the lower end of the bottom part of the telescopic m ember whereby the telescopic member can be used to catch articles while the plane flies over a support for said articles and a wheel at the lower end of the lower part of the telescopic member.

3. In combination, an aeroplane having a telescopic member attached thereto, means for raising and lowering the telescopic member, said member having a hook at its lower end, a platform, a shaft at the rear end of the platform arms carried by the shaft, means for holding a cable stretched between the arms, said cable having a mail bag or other article attached thereto, a so spring pressed member for holding the arms in raised position, latch means for holding said spring pressed member in retracted position and a projection on the platform adapted to be struck by a part of the telescopic member whereby the projection will be lowered to release the latch means to cause the spring pressed member to raise the arms to a position where the hook on the telescopic member will engage the cable to pull the same from the arms.

4. In combination, an aeroplane having a telescopic member attached thereto, means for raising and lowering the telescopic member, said member having a hook at its lower end, a platform, a shaft at the rear end of the platform, arms carried by the shaft, means for holding a cable stretched between the arms, said cable having a mail bag or other article attached thereto, a spring pressed member for holding the arms in raised position, latch means for holding said spring pressed member in retracted position, and a projection on the platform adapted to be struck by a part of 5 the telescopic m'ember whereby the projection will be lowered to release the latch means to cause the spring pressed member to raise the arms to a position where the hook on the telescopic member will engage the cable to pull the same from the arms and a turntable for supporting the platform. I

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature.

HENRY ZIMM RMAN. 

